Paul Revere
A nearby settlement is in the path of an oncoming horde. Their communications are down, so a couriered warning warning from a Runner is their only hope of survival. Cast *Sam Yao *Janine De Luca *Sara Smith Plot 'Racing to Brunswick' Janine calls for Runner 5 over the PA for an emergency. She is horrified to discover a brown stain on Sam's desk. He arrives in the comms shack and informs her that it's only Marmite. He takes over at the desk as Janine tells him that Brunswick, a nearby settlement, is in the path of a horde of zoms. A Runner is needed to warn them. 'Saving 50 souls' Sam tells you that the horde on its way to Brunswick is made up of the remains of a New Canton satellite settlement. A recent fire has disabled Brunswick's communications, so there is no way to warn them, other than a Runner. Janine is worried about friends of hers at Brunswick. 'Met up with Runner 8' Sam spots the horde on the scanners and is alarmed by its size. The zoms are nearer to Brunswick than you, but if you maintain the pace, Sam thinks you'll arrive in time. While you're en route, you meet up with Runner 8, who informs you that Brunswick has been evacuated due to the fire. 'Time to warn the camps' Runner 8 tells you that the people from Brunswick are split into several small camps, which you'll have to warn in turn while she heads back to Brunswick to barricade one of the buildings there for the survivors. 'The zombies are coming...' You've made good pace so far, and Sam says you've sent 20 people back to safety with Runner 8. But the zoms are inbound... 'Sheltering behind the barricades' Another 15 people head back to Runner 8's barricades, with just one small group remaining. They spot you, and begin to follow you back to the barricades. Janine is relieved to see Ben Jones, an old colleague of hers, amongst the survivors. She tells you to shelter at the barricades with Runner 8 overnight. Transcript chatter JANINE DE LUCA: intercom Runner Five? Runner Five, report to the main gate. Immediately, Runner Five, it’s an emergency! Damn, where is the switch that makes the - horn radio Oh, excellent. Runner Five, you’re the only person available, and we rather desperately need you to run to… rustling sighs Why does Mister Yao keep this place in such a god-awful state? It’s not as if we have infinite resources for him to… of extreme disgust SAM YAO: What the hell do you think you’re doing in my comms station, Janine? JANINE DE LUCA: Never mind about that, what is this brown sticky goop covering the desk under your keyboard? Please, don’t tell me it’s… SAM YAO: interrupts It’s marmite, Janine. Plain, simple, ordinary, delicious marmite. JANINE DE LUCA: But why have you… SAM YAO: interrupts The jar broke. I may have been demonstrating how to use it to crush a zombie skull. Now, get out of my chair, sighs and away from my mic! You know we have a deal - we don’t interfere with your private quarters, and you don’t… JANINE DE LUCA: interrupts It’s an emergency. SAM YAO: Such an emergency you couldn’t come and find me? JANINE DE LUCA: We’ve had word on the Rofflenet that about 70 zoms are heading for Brunswick, but their communications are down. We can’t raise them. We need to send a runner to get there ahead of the horde to tell them what’s coming. SAM YAO: Oh, right, yeah, that is an emergency… siren, gate raising Runner Five, run! SAM YAO: Okay, Five, yeah. Well, it looks like Janine was right. One of the New Canton satellite settlements fell a few nights ago. We don’t know what happened, probably the usual - someone got bitten, didn’t want to admit it, came back home, and bam - 70 new zombies wandering the wilderness. JANINE DE LUCA: And there’s the fire! SAM YAO: Yes, alright, thank you, Janine, I was just getting to that! Brunswick is fairly isolated. They used to be Brunswick technology park, “set in 40 acres of rolling countryside.“ Not great food stocks, but a comms hub. And they traded working tech for other supplies. JANINE DE LUCA: Until the fire! SAM YAO: Yeah, alright, thank you! I was getting there! They had a fire last night. One of their buildings went up like a torch, killed their aerials. It’s still burning, though. No fire engines around to put it out, now. We had a runner arrive this morning from Brunswick to bring us the news, and we’ve sent one of our guys to take them some emergency supplies, but… JANINE DE LUCA: Their communications are gone. We can’t tell them that the fire’s attracting the zombies like moths to a flame. If moths wanted to eat your face off. SAM YAO: That’s… poetic. And… creepy? JANINE DE LUCA: I have friends in Brunswick. Good people! Equipment from Brunswick is what keeps you able to talk to your runners, Mister Yao. SAM YAO: So, yeah. There are 70 zoms moving at a slow shamble towards Brunswick, and if you can’t keep up the pace, Five… JANINE DE LUCA: Soon, there’ll be 50 more zombies in Brunswick. SAM YAO: Yeah, I see them. That’s… wow. Haven’t seen that number on the move for quite a while. Five, you probably won’t be able to see them yet, they’re screened by the curve of the hill, but if Brunswick is at 12 o'clock, there’s a massive pack heading towards them from… uh, about ten past ten? … quarter past ten… well, sometime in the pre-elevenses direction, anyway. Right, look, the point is, they’re nearer Brunswick than you are, and Brunswick won’t be able to see them, even if they’re looking out. You’re doing well, though. If you manage to keep steady at that pace, you should get there a good… 40 minutes before the zoms? Hmm… is that enough? Yeah, maybe try and speed up a bit. SARA SMITH: Five? Runner Five! SAM YAO: Did you… was that something, through the headphones? Is that… SARA SMITH: Runner Five, over here! SAM YAO: Janine? Didn’t we send Runner One to Brunswick this morning? That’s what I was told before my break. JANINE DE LUCA: No, Mister Pulse is still recovering after that nasty business with the exploding munitions. SAM YAO: Oh, yeah… unpleasant. So, right, yes, I definitely have a bit of paper somewhere here to tell me who’s out in the field at any one time… Just, just hang on, let me… rustling YAO and SARA SMITH speaking simultaneously SARA SMITH: Runner Five, it’s me, Runner Eight - they sent me to Brunswick this morning to try to help out - SAM YAO: That’s definitely Runner Six, Maggie Doane out there… rustling SARA SMITH: - but my goddamn communicator’s on the fritz again, so I can’t get in touch with Sam to tell him - SAM YAO: - I’m almost 100% certain… rustling SARA SMITH: - there’s no one left in Brunswick, Five. We’ve taken them all the shelter in the woods until the fire dies down. Yes, just over there, from were we are. They’re at about 10 o'clock. SAM YAO: Oh, right, no, no, sorry, there’s still a little fleck of marmite on the paper… SARA SMITH: Okay, Five, if what Sam says is right, then we’ve got a lot of people to warn. The people from Brunswick are split between several small camps along the hill here. You need to go from one to the next to tell them the zombies are coming. We can outpace them easily. I’ll head to Brunswick now and probably barricade… barricade the east building, the one furthest from the fire, to keep the people safe until Abel can send in help to kill the zoms. SAM YAO: Yeah, yeah, I heard all that. That’s good. I’m pretty sure if the Major was here, she’d have something stirring to say, but since she’s not, all I can say is - SARA SMITH: There are 50 people depending on you to keep running. You’re going to save lives! SAM YAO: - what she said. Go! SAM YAO: You’re doing well. That’s 20 people heading back to Runner Eight’s barricade. Keep going, those people are depending on you. The zombies are coming! SAM YAO: Okay, you’ve sent another 15 people back to Runner Eight’s barricaded building… I see the last group just ahead of you, and you’re still in front of the zoms, just about! These guys can see the zoms, they just need to know where to go, so if you wave at them… Yes! They’re following. JANINE DE LUCA: Oh, I can see Mister Jones! Thank God you got him out! SAM YAO: Janine, Janine, are you… are those tears, Janine? JANINE DE LUCA: voice Certainly not, Mister Yao. I’m grateful to Runner Five, that’s all. Ben… Mister Jones and I worked together a few years ago when I was still in the private sector. SAM YAO: oh yeah…? JANINE DE LUCA: Yes. And I’ll thank you not to ask questions. I’m grateful he’s alive. You’ve done good work today, Runner Five. You saved those peoples’ lives. Now, back to Brunswick as quick as you can. You and Runner Eight can shelter behind the barricade until we send some runners to deal with the zombies. Brunswick’s very important to the operation of Abel, Runner Five. You’ve done more than you know, today. Codex Artefact Note from Netrophil WE @NETROPHIL BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE MUST BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. WE ENCOURAGE ALL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH TO EMAIL TRUTH@NETROPHIL.COM. BIOTECHNOLOGY HAS GONE TOO FAR. ROLL IT BACK. Easter Egg truth@netrophil.org email Emailing truth@netrophil.com results in the following reply: So you're ready to learn the truth about what's really going on in biotechnology in this country? That puts you ahead of almost everyone else. The truth is: part of the military-industrial complex is experimenting with powerful neurotoxins that can wipe a person's brain clean. The truth is: they've developed mind-control agents that can make anyone do their bidding. THE TRUTH IS: that many senior political figures are already under their control. Why do you think they've been cutting funding for everything but the military? Why do you think they're funding secret training camps in the Highlands of Scotland? Why do you think we went to war in Iraq? Can you handle the truth? Not everyone can. But if you want to change the world, if you're not one of the sheeple, follow @netrophil on Twitter and wait for the call to action. Category:Mission Category:Season One